


Don't Forget About Me

by lost_in_the_in_between



Series: You Better Watch Yourself [2]
Category: Dear Evan Hansen - Pasek & Paul/Levenson
Genre: A lot of swearing actually, Angst, Anxiety, Depression, F/F, Fluff, M/M, Negative Thoughts, One Shot Collection, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, References to a Suicide Attempt, Self-Doubt, Sexual Humor at some point I'm sure, Soulmate AU, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Suicide Attempt, Swearing, You Better Watch Yourself Universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-06
Updated: 2017-05-12
Packaged: 2018-10-15 07:21:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10552348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lost_in_the_in_between/pseuds/lost_in_the_in_between
Summary: A glimpse into the lives of Connor Murphy, Evan Hansen, Alana Beck, Zoe Murphy, and Jared Kleinman. A series of one-shots taking place in the 'You Better Watch Yourself' universe.





	1. I don't like Zoe

It was absolutely, completely normal to go through puberty at fourteen － at least according to the pamphlets Connor’s mother kept giving to him every time she saw him glare at Zoe for being taller than him. He didn’t care if it was supposedly normal, average even; the other guys at school still teased him. They still called him stuff like ‘shrimp’ and ‘kid,’ as if he weren’t the same age as them. It was better than some of the other things they called him, though, so Connor supposed he couldn’t complain too much.

But － being taller certainly would help make things easier. He would be a freshman in the fall, which meant he would be going to school with guys who were easily over six feet tall; Connor, at just a quarter of an inch shy of five feet tall, would look like a toddler next to them.

Being taller wasn’t the only part of growing up Connor was looking forward to, though. Being older meant he would find out whether or not he had a soulmate mark. His mother had given him pamphlets on that too, though, she always told him that it may not appear. Connor may not have a soulmate, just like her and his father. He could still have a successful life without a one! It just meant things would always be a little trickier － romance would just be a little bit more difficult. And that would be okay.

It wouldn’t, though. He already felt so different from everyone. No one understood him － no one bothered to try. Not the kids at school, not Zoe, and certainly not his parents. If Connor was lucky enough to have a soulmate, then, well － maybe they would understand Connor. Maybe his soulmate would like art too, or music and Connor could just sit with them and draw until both of their hands cramped up too much to continue and then they could listen to Connor’s favorite bands and dance together. Connor hoped his soulmate liked to dance － Connor did, when no one else was watching.

* * *

Connor's fourteenth birthday had begun like any other day; his mother had made breakfast, Larry had ignored him in favor of reading the paper intensely, and he and Zoe had fought over the last piece of toast. Nothing particularly strange occurred, to Connor’s disappointment. He couldn’t shake the feeling that today was the day he was supposed to get his mark. So, why didn’t he have it yet? He had checked while getting dressed － his body was just as scrawny and markless as usual.

“Come on, finish up or you’ll be late to school.” Cynthia interrupted his teen angst to hand him his backpack － maroon, his favorite color. Rolling his eyes, Connor stood and followed her and Zoe out the door, shoving Zoe away from the front seat of Cynthia's SUV just to annoy her. Connor chuckled at her sigh, laughing even harder when she stomped her foot.

“Con- _nor_! It’s my turn to ride shotgun!”

“Too bad.”

“Mom! Make him ride in the back!”

Glancing back and forth between her two children, Cynthia’s eyes looked panicked and her jaw tightened. She looked like a zookeeper trapped between two fierce, hungry lions at dinner time. Shaking her head, she held up her hands and got into the driver’s seat, abstaining from the fight. Connor shoved Zoe back again, climbing in and locking the door before she could retaliate. With another huff, Zoe got into the back, pointedly glaring at the back of Connor’s head.

The ride to school was silent, tension thick in the air. Connor listened to music on his iPod, ignoring Cynthia’s attempts at a conversation and the occasional kick to the back of his seat from Zoe.

He hated school － being trapped in a cold, poorly lit building with four hundred other adolescents was pure hell. No doubt today would be just as horrible as every other day because whatever cosmic, all-powerful being out there － God? If there was one? － didn’t give a shit if today happened to be Connor’s birthday or not.

That much was evident by the fact that Connor had gym first period. Who the hell decided to let a bunch of thirteen and fourteen-year-old boys － who already reeked of Axe and body odor － do physical activity first thing in the morning? It was absolute insanity, and Connor was not here for this bullshit.

Jumping out of his mother’s car before it was even completely parked, Connor stalked towards the school. He knew he would be a lot more intimidating when he was older and taller; now, he just looked like an angry sixth grader, which he wasn’t. He was an angry eighth grader, Jesus.

The gymnasium was already boiling, which was not promising whatsoever. Connor was thankful at least that they were able to change for the class. If he had to run laps in the black jeans and flannel t-shirts he wore, he would have passed out from heat exhaustion before now.

Frowning, Connor entered the locker room and made his way to his assigned locker. Once again proving that there was no one in the universe on his side, he had somehow managed to be given the bottom locker right underneath the biggest asshole in his grade － Nick Larson. Probably due to their forced, school mandated proximity, Nick had taken a special interest in making Connor’s life hell. Today, for example, he was standing in front of his locker, joking around and laughing with his other weird jock friends. They didn’t appear to be in any rush to leave, meaning Connor would have to ask Nick to get out of his way. Great.

“I need in my locker.”

Connor only came up to Nick’s chin, though it wasn’t from lack of effort. Holding his head high, Connor’s shoulders were thrown back and his light blue eyes narrowed. Amusement was written all over Nick’s face as he glanced down at the boy in front of him; he snorted, rolling his eyes.

“Aww, I’m sorry, Murphy. Didn’t see you down there. Here you go.”

Making a show of moving out of Connor’s way, Nick and his friends cracked up, heading into the gym. Connor growled, his hands clenching into fists. God, what he would give to just deck Nick Larson one day. Even at fourteen, though, Connor had a reputation as a troublemaker. He knew he would get detention or worse for hitting Nick, regardless of if he was provoked or not. Besides, he wasn't stupid enough to think he actually stood a chance at beating up Nick Larson. Connor was full of rage, but he was also much smaller than Nick, and would probably get his ass kicked. It would be worth it if he broke Nick's nose, though.

Opening his locker, Connor pulled out his gym clothes and began changing. He kept his head down, not wanting to draw any more attention to himself than necessary. Due to being a ‘late bloomer’ as his mother would say, Connor was one of the smallest guys in the grade in both height and width. The last thing he wanted was for one of the boys to call him out for being so thin and scrawny.

“WHOA!” He jumped, nearly hitting his head on Nick’s locker. Standing fully, Connor whirled around to see where the noise had come from. Of course － Jared Kleinman. God, that kid did not know how to shut up. He was standing directly behind Connor, staring at him with wide eyes.

“Holy shit, dude! When did your mark come in?!”

Mouth falling open, all Connor could do was blink and stare at Jared. His mark? What the hell? Was this asshole making fun of him? What had Connor ever done to him? Scowling, Connor turned back around, only to have his shoulder grabbed by the other boy.

“Get off of me!”

Thrusting his elbow out, Connor blindly tried to get Jared to let him go. The other boy had a surprisingly tight grip for someone so physically inept.

“Here! It’s right here! Have you seen this?!” Jared demanded, poking his left shoulder. Connor winced; the skin that Jared had touched burned. But, that couldn’t be right; Connor hadn’t been injured there yesterday. Why did it hurt now?

“No, what the hell are you talking about, Kleinman?”

Sighing, Jared pulled him over to one of the mirrors hanging near the bathroom stalls. Craning his neck, Connor finally got a good look at the area Jared was talking about and his mouth fell open.

There, in absolutely horrible handwriting that he assumed belonged to his soulmate, were the words _‘I don’t like Zoe.’_

“Holy shit,” breathed Connor, reading the words over and over again. He had a mark! He had a soulmate! Not only that, Connor had the coolest fucking soulmate on the planet! Whoever they were, they hated Zoe just as much as he did, or at least didn't like her. Maybe there was some omnipotent being out there looking out for him after all.

He grinned throughout the rest of the day, feeling invincible. Nothing could ruin his mood today － not Nick, not his teachers, not his grades. No one could bring him down and no one would ever be able to give him a better birthday present. No, today was absolutely perfect.

Connor was still grinning when he got home from school, shoving his way into Zoe’s room before she could stop him and kick him out. Tugging his shirt up to his neck, Connor turned around and showed the still slightly tender mark to his younger sister. Her eyes widened; Zoe hadn’t seen a new mark in person before. Edging closer, she leaned in to read the writing on her brother’s back. As soon as she did, she shrieked.

“My soulmate doesn’t like you either,” Connor said, smugly pulling his shirt back into place. He left, confident that whoever his soulmate was, they _would_ understand him after all.


	2. Traffic Stops and Shovel Talks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jared saves Connor and also threatens to kill him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this takes place about a month and a half after You Better Watch Yourself. 
> 
> Also, sorry Connor swears so much. I just really feel like he does.
> 
> Thanks for reading!

Connor was an excellent driver. He had never been in a car accident, nor had he even received a speeding ticket or a parking violation. Okay, so sometimes he  _ did _ drive a little too fast, and he definitely got distracted trying to pick out the best music to play while driving, but he had never _hurt_ anyone and hadn’t been caught doing anything illegal.

Apparently, he wasn’t the most attentive driver, though. He had failed to notice his right back tire’s low pressure before he left his house and now found himself stranded on the side of the road.

So, stranded might be a bit dramatic － they lived in suburbia, after all. There were houses all around him, and his car was only pulled over out of the way, parked in front of a neat little Colonial. How quaint.

Sighing in frustration, Connor nearly kicked the tire but stopped himself before he could do any real damage. That would only hurt his foot and accomplish absolutely nothing. He groaned, pulling out his cell phone.

Who to call? His asshole dad would still be at work; he would probably freak out if Connor called, angry at being bothered while he was doing something important. Cynthia had yoga or pilates or whatever the fuck she was trying to keep herself occupied with these days, so she was out. Zoe was out of town at an overnight jazz band festival because she was a fucking nerd. Alana had gone to support her, leaving Connor with no one to call for help.

Evan didn’t drive due to a plethora of reasons; his anxiety only worsened when he got behind the wheel, and it wasn’t as if Heidi had the money to get him his own car. Besides, currently, Evan was at home sick with the flu, so he couldn’t really help Connor anyway. 

“Fuck.”

Seriously, who the fuck could help him out? Standing by the side of the road, even in the suburbs, could get him killed or seriously injured. He had to make some sort of decision quickly. 

Then it hit him: Jared fucking Kleinman － Evan’s weird, asshole of a best friend. He probably didn’t have any plans; he only ever hung out with Evan, and Connor knew he wasn’t at Evan’s house right now because that was where Connor was supposed to be.

Due to Connor's relationship with Evan, he had spent  _ some _ time around Jared. Jared still teased him way more than Connor appreciated, but at least now, Connor could shittalk him right back. Their slightly antagonistic relationship didn’t sit well with Evan, but he knew that at least they usually tried for his sake. It could be much worse, in all honesty.

Jared wasn’t Connor’s first choice by a long shot, but he was probably Connor’s only option. Besides, if Jared really did help him out, it would probably cheer Evan up. He’d think they were bonding or some shit. 

Sighing, Connor began dialing Jared’s number. He placed his phone to his ear and waited for the overly hyper, slightly annoying boy to pick up.

_ “Connor, I swear, if you buttdialed me while getting it on with Evan－” _

“ _ No _ ! No, I actually meant to call you! Shocking, I know.”

He could hear Jared snicker through the phone, his loud, piercing laughter more obnoxious that Connor remembered. What the fuck had Connor done to deserve this hell?

_ “Okay fine, if you ask nicely, I may be up for a threesome.” _

“Kleinman, Christ! Do you ever stop thinking about sex?”

_ “...Is that a real question you’re asking me?” _

Sighing in frustration, Connor ran a hand through his hair. He could feel a migraine coming on, almost entirely due to Jared. Maybe he had actually died in a car crash and whatever greater being of the universe or whatever that was out there had designed this purgatory for him. Stranded in an unfamiliar neighborhood, his safety left in the hands of Jared Kleinman was the absolute last way he wanted to spend all of eternity.

“Look, I’ve got a flat tire. Can you come pick me up or something?” 

Tightening the grip on his phone with one hand, Connor pinched the bridge of his nose with the other. There was silence on the other end of the line for a minute, and Connor worried Jared had hung up on him.

_ “Fine, but you have to tell Evan I saved your ass. My birthday’s coming up and I need to win some brownie points to get something good.”  _

Connor rolled his eyes and nodded, not caring that Jared couldn’t see him. 

“Fucking fine, just come pick me up. I’m on the corner of South and Greenland.” 

The phone clicked, and Connor knew Jared had hung up on him. What a dick. God, if Evan didn’t feel some weird loyalty to Jared, Connor probably would have tried to kick his ass by now. He realized it probably wasn’t a good idea to punch the best friend of your soulmate, though. Evan would probably not like that; he might even break up with Connor if he did that and Connor was not prepared for that, so he would try to be at least someone civil towards Jared.

About twenty minutes later, Jared’s old Jeep rounded the corner, coming to a stop beside Connor. The taller boy climbed in, gripping the safety handle tightly in anticipation for Jared’s legendary lack of driving skills.

“...So, I’m sure you’re wondering why I asked you here today, Murphy.”

Turning to look at Jared, Connor raised an eyebrow. What the fuck was this kid talking about? He was so weird sometimes. 

“Um, what?” asked Connor finally, blinking in confusion.

“It’s a fucking expression, dude.”

“Okay but like, I was stranded and you picked me up. There was no fucking gathering or whatever.”

Literally facepalming, Jared sighed in exasperation. He turned to look at Connor, and Connor had to fight the instinct to tell Jared to fucking look at the road. Now didn’t seem like the time to scream at Jared － after all, Jared had just driven to a random street corner to pick him up. Jared’s attention returned to the road.

“Okay  _ fine _ . I think it’s time we had a little chat. Is that a better way of phrasing it?”

That sounded ominous as shit. Connor wasn’t sure he liked this situation; he wasn’t fond of not being in control in general, but now Jared literally had complete authority over where they went and how dangerously he drove them there. 

“Are you going to kill me, Kleinman?” 

Jared laughed, and Connor took that as confirmation.  _ Fucking great _ . He had literally only started dating Evan a little over a month ago and now he was going to die. Evan probably wouldn’t be happy about that, Connor assumed. 

“Not yet,” Jared replied finally, pulling into the parking lot of their local chain superstore. It wasn’t that crowded; Connor assumed most people were at home eating dinner by now. Only workers and weird people without anywhere better to be would be there now, and neither one of those groups would probably even blink if Jared murdered him and left his body there. 

Putting the car in park, Jared turned to face Connor once again.

“What are your intentions with my son, Connor?”

He blinked. That － was not what Connor had been expecting. Was Jared using this opportunity to ask about Evan and Connor’s relationship? Seriously? What, were they thirteen-year-old girls at a sleepover?

“...What the fuck?”

“What are your intentions with Evan?”

“We’ve literally been dating a month and a half, Jared. I don’t have any fucking idea what my intentions are.”

The shorter boy took this in, nodding his head. Removing his glasses, he began cleaning them methodically without breaking eye contact with Connor. It probably shouldn’t have been half as intimidating as it was, and yet, Connor shivered.

“Look, dick, you better treat him decently, okay?”

Connor thought that was rich coming from Jared. The past three years, his relationship with Evan had been completely strained due in part to Jared’s stupid comments that made Evan upset. Connor screwed up sometimes, he knew that, but so did Jared.

“I do, asshole.”

Sighing, Jared slid his glasses back on. He frowned, studying Connor’s face for sincerity. 

“Look, Evan doesn’t like...get people a lot, you know? Like, he doesn’t open up and let people in, so you must be pretty fucking special if you’re his soulmate. Don’t fuck this up.” 

Jared looked so genuine, Connor almost laughed. He couldn’t remember the last time he had seen the other boy serious about anything; Jared was the king of being carefree. 

“I won’t. I would never want to,” Connor tried to reassure him but － what if Connor  _ did _ fuck this up? Didn’t he fuck everything up at some point? His relationship with his family was shitty and he knew it was entirely his own fault. What if he isolated Evan too? What if he hurt the other boy? 

He knew he needed to work on his aggression and paranoia, but Larry had decided to discontinue his therapy after it “didn’t seem like it was working.” Fuck, what if he never got better? What if he kept getting worse, and he dragged Evan down with him?

“Hey.” Jared’s shrill voice cut through his internal turmoil, stopping the bad thoughts in their tracks. “Whatever you’re thinking, stop it.”

Laughing drily, Connor rolled his eyes and looked out the window. The sun was beginning to set － his parents would be home soon. They would wonder where he was, maybe. If they noticed.

“I’m serious. Fuck, dude － you care about Evan. I know that. Just, try to be good to him, okay? And stop blaming yourself all the time. You’ve got more angst than a fucking Green Day song.”

Connor laughed in spite of himself. It was the first time he’d laughed this hard in a long time, clutching his stomach with his head thrown back. Jesus － he felt tears in his eyes. Grinning smugly, Jared seemed pleased with himself for making Connor forget about his problems, if only for a minute.

“Come on, let’s go watch a movie at Evan’s or something.” 

Jared turned the car back on, putting it into drive. As they pulled out of the superstore parking lot, Connor’s grip returned to the safety handle. 

“God, Evan’s probably hours deep in a tree documentary by now,” murmured Connor, grinning at the thought of his soulmate cuddled up on his couch, covered from neck to toe in blankets, watching a documentary on the subject he liked most. If Connor was lucky, Evan would have learned some new tree facts to share with him today. Connor wasn't really interested in trees himself, but he could listen to Evan talk about them for hours.

“Or a Disney movie,” Jared laughed. They turned down street after street in a comfortable silence, occasionally glancing at the other. Maybe they weren’t so different after all. They both cared for Evan so much － maybe they really could get along for his sake, and maybe they could become friends themselves. Time would tell.

* * *

“Delivery!” Knocking obnoxiously loudly on the Hansen’s front door, Jared pocketed his car keys. Connor rolled his eyes at his antics, but a small smile remained on his face. 

“I uh, I didn’t－” Evan began, only opening the door a crack until he saw who was standing there. Swinging the door open, Evan threw his arms around Connor, snuggling his face into the spot where Connor’s shoulder met his neck. Connor returned the hug, rubbing Evan’s blanket-covered back comfortingly. Frankly, he didn't give a fuck about germs or whatever as long as Evan was happy.

“Oh, nice to see you too, Evan,” Jared said sarcastically. Evan pulled away from Connor just enough to look at the other boy. “I just saved your boyfriend’s ass, but it’s fine. Continue to maul him with your love in front of me.”

“Wait, saved? What happened?” Returning his gaze to Connor, Evan checked him for injury.

“I had a flat tire, that’s all,” Connor assured Evan.

“Wow, way to make my heroics sound lame,” grumbled Jared, crossing his arms and pouting. Connor rolled his eyes.

“Fine, you got me. Jared saved the day. He’s my hero.” 

Laughing, Evan opened the door wide enough for them to come in, lacing his fingers through Connor’s wordlessly. Connor grinned, squeezing Evan’s hand just because he could.

“Damn right I am, Murphy. Evan, please tell me you ordered pizza or something. I’m starving,” Jared flopped down on the Hansen’s couch, reaching for the remote. Frowning, Evan shook his head.

“It’s cool, I got it,” Connor said, reaching for his phone with his free hand. “This is payback for picking me up.”

“You still owe me a kickass birthday present!” exclaimed Jared, sitting up straighter. Connor laughed and nodded, making Evan smile.

“Yeah, okay. Fine,” agreed Connor. He stepped away to order their dinner, but not before placing a quick kiss on Evan’s cheek; he grinned at the blush that appeared on his boyfriend’s face as Evan sat down next to Jared, immediately wrapping his arms around one of the decorative pillows Heidi kept on the couch.

Connor could screw all of this up tomorrow. He could ruin everything some day, driving Evan away with his anger. But that day wasn’t today. Today, he was going to eat pizza and watch a cheesy old movie with his soulmate and his soulmate’s best friend.  _ His _ friend, Connor mentally corrected himself. Yeah, Connor thought that maybe he and Jared could be friends after all.


	3. Getting Off on the Wrong Foot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alana does not put the fun in fundraising.

Guitar had always been a major part of Zoe’s life. When she was seven, her parents bought both her and Connor matching beginners guitars for Christmas and instantly, Zoe Murphy became hooked. She followed the instruction book as best as she could, learning every chord it contained, until finally, Cynthia decided that maybe Zoe should take real, actual lessons. 

From then on, most days she could be found with a guitar in hand, strumming a mix of originals and covers. She played when she was happy about something, like getting a good grade on a hard test, and when she was when she wasn't happy about things. Zoe played when her parents fought, and when Connor suddenly stopped being her best friend and became her enemy. No matter what mood she was in, she could find some sort of stability in playing the guitar.

When she entered high school, like most freshmen, she was a little lost. Zoe had a few friends, but she didn’t quite know where she belonged in school. All of her friends had other friends; she didn’t have a solid group that she could turn to for anything and everything. That was okay, but she longed for a place completely lacking judgment.

After a few weeks of feeling left out, unsure of where to sit or who to talk to, Zoe found her place when she spotted a poster advertising jazz band tryouts; she almost ignored it, but it specifically mentioned that they were looking for a guitar player to complete their ensemble, so she decided to take a chance. Wracked with nerves, Zoe had arrived at the audition and played her best, only making one or two mistakes. When the list of accepted musicians was posted two days later, Zoe beamed with pride.

Rehearsals were long but fun, full of music jokes and a lot of laughs. Zoe quickly bonded with the other musicians and eating lunch in the band room became a given. All of her closest friends were in jazz band, and for the first time, Zoe truly felt like she belonged somewhere.

Of course, being a part of jazz band meant having to play for concerts or special events the school was throwing, and that included the annual SGA fundraiser. Zoe had found the one thrown during her freshman year particularly monotonous and was not looking forward to this one now that she was a sophomore. It would be three or four hours of playing only dull, background music while the school board, prominent members of the community, and the uptight, pretentious kids in the Student Government Association all rubbed elbows and subtly tried to prove how much better they were than the people they were talking to. Zoe thought the whole thing was stupid and she would much rather goof off with her friends than be stuck in such a boring situation. 

Nevertheless, she was required to be there and so she was. They’d had to arrive about an hour early to set up and practice a few things last minute, and already things were off to a rocky start. Unlike the year before, this fundraiser was promising to be anything but boring. Instead of being completely ignored, the jazz band, as well as every other detail of the event, was being overseen by an overly peppy, clearly stressed girl. The girl, who Zoe assumed must be a part of the SGA, was splitting her time running around the different areas of the gym, checking in with the catering team, the decorating committee, and the jazz band rapidly. Honestly, Zoe was unsure how she had this much energy, but frankly, it was really annoying.

Once they had finished tuning up and going over a few of their problem areas, the jazz band began to goof off, taking some time to relax and unwind before they performed. Zoe was currently playing  _ Stairway to Heaven _ by Led Zeppelin, giggling with Natalie, the piano player, when she was cut off with a sharp, though gentle, tap to her shoulder.

“Could you please stick to the approved music? Thank you!” 

It was the overzealous member of the SGA － Lana something. She was smiling, though it looked incredibly forced and didn’t meet her tired, slightly panicked brown eyes. Tapping her foot, Lana crossed her arms, waiting for Zoe to respond with something － an apology maybe. All Zoe could do was stare at her, though, open mouthed and wide eyed. Natalie, beside Zoe, squeaked in shock, her hand clumsily falling onto the piano. The sour notes that followed echoed around the tiny corner of the gym where the jazz band was stationed.

Unfreezing, Zoe responded by rolling her eyes and nodding, turning back to the band. She could hear a frustrated sigh from the other girl, followed by the clicks of her shoes as she walked away from them.

_ “Zoe!” _

Natalie slapped her arm, her voice going shrill. Turning to glare at the pianist, Zoe motioned for Natalie to keep her voice down. Really, did she want everyone in the room to stare at them? If she kept it up, the girl would probably return and yell at them again.

“Would you be quiet?” Zoe hissed, whipping around to look for the other girl. She was fussing at the catering team again, criticizing the way they had set up the dessert spread. Hopefully, that would keep her occupied for a few minutes.

“Zoe, that was your mark, wasn’t it? Why aren’t you talking to her?!”

“Because,” replied Zoe, “what am I supposed to say?!  _ ‘Hey, I know you’re sort of freaking out right now, but I’m pretty sure you’re my soulmate. Also, do you maybe want to chill out? I’m pretty sure you’re going to have a heart attack if you don’t slow down.’ _ ”

Biting her lip, Natalie glanced back at the girl, concern in her warm brown eyes. 

“You need to say  _ something _ . She’s your soulmate, Zoe!”

With a quick nod, Zoe also looked at the other girl. She knew Natalie was right, she had to say something. But that could wait － right now, they had a concert to play.

* * *

Things seemed to be going well at the fundraiser. The jazz band had just finished their first set; they had a small break before they would have to go back to playing, and a track of classical music was being played over the speakers in their absence. 

The guests seemed to be enjoying themselves, though Zoe wasn’t sure how that was possible. Once the event had officially started, it was as if all the excitement caused by her possible soulmate had vanished from the room. Things were running smoothly, so the girl didn’t seem nearly as anxious and frustrated as she had an hour ago. Now she looked calm, almost as if she were having a nice time. Zoe knew that now was probably her best chance to talk to her.

Crossing the room, Zoe took a few deep breaths to calm herself. She tapped the shorter girl on the shoulder, pulling her attention away from the flower arrangement on one of the tables.

“Yes?” She asked when she saw it was Zoe. “Can I help you with something?”

Zoe blanched, giving the girl a once-over as she grasped for something to say.

“Um, great job, uh, organizing this.”

Eyes widening in surprise, the other girl seemed to study her as if she were really looking at her for the first time. Zoe felt a bit self-conscious at the attention, but she forced herself to remain calm. She was _Zoe freaking Murphy_ － she wasn’t afraid of anything. Except maybe the girl studying her, but she would never admit that.

“Thank you. I’m sorry for snapping earlier,” the girl finally said. “I’m Alana Beck.”

“Zoe Murphy,” she replied, shaking Alana’s hand. _Alana_ － that was a pretty name. It made her stomach flutter a little. That vanished as they touched hands; Zoe’s stomach instead filling with a sense of warmth. Holding hands felt so  _ right _ for some reason; she didn’t know anything about this girl, but she knew she didn’t want to let go of her hand.

“Do you want to get some punch? It’s actually pretty good,” Alana asked shyly. Nodding, Zoe smiled at her and allowed the shorter girl to pull her towards the refreshment table. They continued to laugh and talk and found they actually weren’t so different after all. Yes, Alana was a little high-strung, but she was actually really funny too. Zoe couldn’t remember a time she had laughed so hard at someone else’s jokes. Eventually, Zoe glanced at her watch, and nearly had a stroke. 

“Oh shit, I’ve got to go back on.”

Zoe shot Alana an apologetic look. Alana smiled, waving her away.

“You should go. We can talk later. You have another break in an hour or so, right?” 

Zoe nodded, thankful that Alana had planned time for them to relax between sets. Smiling, Zoe waved goodbye as she walked back over to the rest of the jazz band. They had been watching her and Alana speak intensely, but they all attempted to hide that fact as Zoe approached. Returning to their instruments, her friends tried to appear innocent.

“Have a good break?” Natalie asked, arranging her sheet music in the proper order with a smirk. Rolling her eyes, Zoe flushed slightly, glancing quickly back at Alana.

“Yes, I did,” she answered as her eyes found those of her soulmate. The other girl grinned at her, making Zoe’s blush worsen. God, Zoe didn’t  _ blush _ . What was this?

They played their second set, Zoe messing up more than usual. She kept catching Alana’s eye, and that caused her fingers to stop working correctly for some reason. It was unprofessional, Zoe knew, but she had just met her soulmate, after all. Surely her director would cut her some slack come Monday when she gave them all notes on the performance.

A smattering of applause was heard as they finished, standing to stretch. Zoe had just put her guitar back in its case when she heard Alana clear her throat. Her head snapped up as the other girl gained her attention.

“Want to dance?” She asked, offering Zoe one of her hands. Grinning, Zoe intertwined their fingers and allowed Alana to lead her towards the dance floor. A waltz was playing, a calm and yet upbeat tempo. Zoe didn’t know how to waltz, but it appeared that Alana did; she placed her free hand on the small of Zoe’s back, leaving her other hand in Zoe’s. Hesitantly, Zoe placed her own free hand on Alana’s shoulder.

“I don’t really know how to do this,” she admitted, hoping Alana didn’t think she was crass for not knowing how to dance properly. Did most kids their age? Zoe didn’t think so, but she still didn’t want Alana to think badly of her. 

“That’s fine. Follow my lead,” Alana said, smiling fondly at her. Allowing herself to be led, Zoe began the relatively simple box step. It wasn’t the most difficult thing she had ever tried, but she still stepped on Alana’s feet more times that she would have liked. But Alana never seemed to get frustrated by her; she just pulled Zoe closer and spun her when it seemed Zoe was close to injuring her once more. 

The song came to a close and another began. Alana twirled her around, their eyes never leaving each other for longer than a few seconds. It was absolutely _dizzying_ , Zoe thought. She had never felt so light － like she could start floating at any moment. Alana kept her steady, though, firmly on the ground. 

The classical music ended far sooner than Zoe would have liked, and with a jolt, she realized it was time for her to return to her guitar. With a sad look at her soulmate, she stepped away. 

“This was amazing,” Zoe admitted breathlessly, her cheeks still pink from dancing for so long. Alana smiled back at her, a content twinkle in her eyes. She looked more relaxed than she had all evening, and Zoe felt a rush of pride at that fact.

“Wait, before you go－” Alana pulled her back, grabbing her hand once again. “Do you want to get coffee? Maybe tomorrow? I have a project to work on in the afternoon, but we could go out tomorrow night.”

Nodding enthusiastically, Zoe smiled. 

“Yes, absolutely.”

“Great! I’ll follow you on Twitter. And add you on Facebook!” 

Zoe laughed, returning back towards the corner of the gym where the band resided. She felt like she was still in the clouds, but now it was time to get serious once again. Maybe these fundraisers weren’t so bad after all. They definitely weren’t boring, that was for sure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy crap, I wrote fluff. I'm just as surprised as you. 
> 
> Thank you, Viv, for editing this and helping with the plot!!
> 
> Fun Fact: Natalie is a reference to Next to Normal because I have no self-control.
> 
> Fun Fact 2: The waltz I was listening to while Zoe and Alana danced was Sleeping Beauty Waltz by Tchaikovsky in case you wanna listen while you read.


	4. Fights at Midnight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life isn't always sunshine and rainbows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually wrote this a while ago. I'm sorry for not posting anything sooner! I've been dealing with finals, but they're almost over, which means I can write for fun again! 
> 
> This takes place about three months after YBWY, so obviously, Connor and Evan are dating. Enjoy!

As the child of a single mother, Evan was used to spending evenings and even nights alone. His mother worked so, so hard to be able to pay the bills － including his therapy appointments and his medication. Evan was grateful for it, but sometimes he didn’t like being alone so much. The house was too quiet; no matter how loud he turned the television up or how much noise he made in the kitchen, the silence was louder.

It wasn’t that Evan needed loud noises all the time. He didn’t. Actually, loud noises scared him and bothered him to the point that sometimes he would have a panic attack. No, Evan didn’t need _a lot_ of noise, but he liked some noise.

The silence could be deafening. When Evan was alone and everything was quiet, that was usually when his mind was the loudest. His anxiety liked to play tricks then, reminding him of every mistake he had made in the past; every single embarrassing moment he had ever had broadcast throughout his brain, playing on a loop.

_Remember the time you tripped and dropped your tray in the cafeteria? Or what about the fact that you just keep rambling on and on to Connor about stupid, pointless stuff? He’s probably annoyed by you, just like Jared and Zoe and Alana. What about－_

A quick, sharp knock to the side door interrupted whatever horrible thought he was about to have next. A year ago, Evan would have been terrified to open the door; what if it was a burglar or a serial killer? Now, though, he knew exactly who would be at the door. Most nights, like clockwork, Connor Murphy arrived on his doorstep a little before midnight. Evan was always up － his brain just wouldn’t shut off at night, resulting in insomnia － so he would let his boyfriend in, and they would usually settle in and watch a movie or talk or cuddle or sometimes they would even kiss. Evan was happy no matter what they were doing though because Connor helped interrupt the deafening silence.

Opening the door, Evan grinned up at his boyfriend, ready to pull him in for a hug or a quick kiss. He stopped, his smile freezing as he took in the boy in front of him. Connor looked like hell － okay, so he usually arrived looking angry and pissed off due to the frequent fights he had with his family. Connor and Zoe were slowly but surely patching things up, but it was still a work in progress. His relationship with his parents was strained at best and hopeless at worst. So, most nights he arrived with a scowl on his face, his hair messy and his eyes narrowed.

Tonight he appeared to be worse off than usual. Evan wasn’t sure what had happened, but he knew it had to be bad for Connor to look like he did. His eyes were rimmed red, his lip still quivering slightly as if he were on the verge of crying again; his shoulders were hunched over, as if trying to shield himself from something he did not want to face. Evan pulled him into a tight hug without a word, firmly wrapping both arms around the taller boy’s neck and dragging him into the embrace.

Shoulders shaking, Connor balled up Evan’s pajama t-shirt in his fists, shoving his face into the crook of Evan’s neck. Evan couldn’t be sure, but he thought he might have heard a sob escape Connor as the taller boy pulled him closer, their bodies pressed so close together, Evan wasn’t sure whose heartbeat he could feel in his chest.

The late fall air crept in the still opened door, sending a shiver down Evan’s spine. Realizing just how cold Connor must be, he gently pulled back and reached around Connor to pull the door closed. Evan led him over to the couch, sitting down beside him and wrapping his arms around Connor once again. He ran one hand through Connor’s hair, knowing it usually calmed his soulmate down; though, he wasn’t sure if it would tonight. Connor was still shaking, tears soaking through Evan’s navy blue t-shirt.

Gently, Evan held Connor, allowing him to cry as long as he needed. He had seen the boy cry before, but never this bad. Honestly, Evan was at a bit of a loss; the only thing he could do was sit here and comfort Connor as best as he could.

After several minutes, Connor pulled away, sinking back into the Hansen’s couch. He rubbed at his face, roughly wiping the tears and snot away. Connor’s defenses were coming back up, and Evan hated that. They had only been together for a few months, so he supposed it was probably normal that Connor, who rarely trusted anyone ever, would resort to shutting him out when he was feeling vulnerable. Evan wished he wouldn’t, but he couldn’t really force him to stop. They would have to work on it, though, if they were ever going to move into serious relationship territory.

“Are－ are you okay?” He asked, leaning forward to grab the other boy’s hand. Connor jerked his hand away, pulling it closer to his chest. As soon as he saw Evan’s face fall, Connor realized he had screwed up. Slowly, he scooted closer to Evan, hesitantly reaching for his hand and intertwining their fingers.

“Sorry, that’s a stupid question. Clearly, you aren’t okay. I’m sorry, uh. Sorry. What’s wrong? What happened? Did you fight with Zoe or your parents?” Evan asked in a rush, stroking the back of Connor’s hand with his thumb. Frowning, Connor’s gaze shifted to the old, wooden coffee table in front of them.

“...Yeah,” he said, finally. Evan wanted to pull him in for another hug, but he knew they had to talk about this. Something had happened and Connor was upset and Evan wanted to fix it.

“What...what happened?”

Taking a deep breath, Connor closed his eyes and leaned his head back. His face was scrunched up in frustration, his shoulders tense. Evan felt himself tensing up at Connor’s lack of communication.

“I got into a fight with my dad.”

Evan’s breath caught in his throat. He had met Larry Murphy; Evan knew that Connor and he didn’t exactly see eye to eye on a lot of topics, namely Connor’s choices in life. Evan wasn’t sure if Larry was a good father or not, seeing as he only had his own to compare Larry to, and well, Larry seemed okay compared to him. But there was such a large gap in communication between Connor and Larry, which was probably the base of most of their fights. Larry couldn’t see that Connor was working and trying to get better － he was attending school somewhat regularly now, and he was smoking pot less and less. He was trying to fix his relationship with Zoe; they had both come a long way.

But for some reason, Larry did not see that. He still saw Connor as the problem child, the kid who would sneak out to buy weed at three in the morning, spending most days high as a kite. He saw Connor as a bomb, ready to go off at any second. Just because Connor was doing okay now didn’t mean he would be okay for forever.

“What about?” asked Evan, cautiously sliding closer to Connor. When that didn’t get a negative reaction from the taller boy, Evan leaned into him, curling up around Connor’s arm and leaning his head on Connor’s shoulder. Evan thought that maybe they felt a little less tense when he did that.

“College.”

Evan had not been expecting that.

Connor’s voice was rougher than usual, hoarse from crying for so long. His eyes were still closed, but he wasn’t as stiff as he had been a few moments before. Evan considered that progress.

“We, uh, well, fuck. He got home and like, he hadn’t fucking been there all day, but he overhears my mom ask if I’m planning on applying anywhere, right? So he hears me say _‘fuck no, college is bullshit,’_ and he takes that personally for some reason. He starts yelling about how I have to go, and how I won’t be successful if I don’t and then－”

H was breathing heavily now, having properly worked himself up. Sitting up and jostling Evan away from him, Connor ran a hand through his own hair, staring back at the coffee table. He took a few deep breaths, trying to regain control of his anger.

“Then, he tells me I probably don’t want to go because like, I’m lazy and can’t do anything, right? So I call him an asshole, and he tells me that I probably won’t be successful either way and will just end up sponging off of them and Zoe for the rest of my life.”

They sat in silence for a minute, Evan staring at Connor in horror. He knew Connor’s main issues with Zoe stemmed from the fact that their parents had a habit of pitting them against one another. Connor constantly felt inferior to Zoe, whether he would admit it to Evan or not. Larry saying that Connor would never be as good as Zoe must have stung badly.

“He’s wrong. You know that, right?” Evan said finally. Nervously, he reached out to put a hand on Connor’s shoulder; he was glad when Connor didn’t pull away again. “You’re going to do amazing things, Connor. Uh, you’re already pretty amazing and you’re working so hard to get things back on track. If you don’t want to go to college, uh, you don’t － you don’t have to.”

Connor was quiet, and Evan wasn’t entirely sure that his soulmate had heard him. Maybe he was too trapped in his own mind to listen? Evan was like that sometimes.

“I－ I’m sorry for just like, dropping all of this on you or whatever.”

Shaking his head, Evan squeezed Connor’s shoulder. He frowned at the other boy’s grimace, leaning forward to press a quick kiss to his cheek.

“We’re soulmates. You’re supposed to talk to me about this stuff,” he said, earning an almost smile from Connor. He would take that.

“I mean it,” Evan added after a minute of silence. “You’re going to be okay no matter what you end up doing, Connor. I promise.”

Maybe Connor wouldn’t believe him now, but he would one day. One day, he would see that Evan was right and things could and would be okay. For now, all Evan could do was reassure him as often as possible and keep an eye on him when he was at his lowest, making sure Connor always had someone to talk to and go to with his problems.

“Can we...can we watch a movie?” Connor asked, biting his lip as he glanced at Evan. Smiling shyly, Evan nodded.

“Yeah, you pick,” He said, handing his soulmate the remote. Connor selected his favorite Disney movie, _Tangled_ , and the couple settled into the couch, wrapped tightly around one another. They laid like that until they each drifted off to sleep, lulled to rest by the warmth and affection radiating off of one another.


	5. Pillow Fights and Starry Nights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zoe worries, reflects, and puts in a little effort.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We all deserve some semi-functioning Murphy siblings. 
> 
> Just a warning, there are references and mentions of a suicide attempt. The description isn't very graphic, but I still don't want anyone to be blind-sided by it. If you want to skip it, it begins around 'It wasn't hard to see how bad he was getting,' and ends just before 'Things were bad again for a long time after he got home from the hospital.'
> 
> This takes place about two weeks after Connor and Evan get together, so before 'Traffic Stops and Shovel Talks' but after YBWY, obviously. Thanks for reading!

For as long as Zoe had known about Connor’s mark, it had bothered her. It only reinforced her fear that Connor would despise her forever because if his _soulmate_ loathed her, it seemed inevitable that Connor would always be her enemy.

And she hated that. Zoe used to be so torn up about losing her best friend - losing Connor. When they were little, they played together all the time. They were only about a year and a half apart in age; Zoe wasn’t young enough for Connor to alienate completely back then. People even used to think they were twins due to Zoe always being a little tall for her age and Connor always being a little short.

They had acted like it too; their personalities complimented one another’s well. Zoe was a little more serious, always carrying around her guitar and notebooks, scribbling down little songs. But Connor could always make Zoe laugh. Rather than a notebook full of song lyrics, Connor carried around a joke book with a few of his own jokes scribbled in the margins. Most of them were variations on the classic ‘why did the chicken cross the road?’

Anytime their parents fought, he would sit with her in her closet, wrapped tightly in blankets, reading jokes to her loudly to drown out Larry's shouts and Cynthia's tears. She would play a few of the songs she knew and Connor would make up silly lyrics just to get her to smile.

But then they got a little bit older, and things got more complicated. It wasn’t like it had happened overnight; Connor hadn’t woken up one morning deciding to despise her. No, their fighting had begun gradually with little arguments here and there that then turned into big arguments and finally culminated in Connor leaving a giant dent in her door from kicking and punching it so much.

She used to cry about it, back when their fights were more innocent. Now she doesn’t.

It wasn’t hard to see how bad he was getting. Everyone did, even if her parents wanted to ignore it. Zoe had tried to help, at first, but after Connor had threatened to kill her, she stopped. What was the point? He was a monster who didn’t want to get better. 

Well, she had thought that until his first suicide attempt.

It was less than a month after he had gotten back from rehab. All of his old friends thought he was a baby for going in the first place, and he had even fewer people to talk to than before, which left Connor feeling completely alone when he fought with Larry or Zoe.

It was Zoe that found him in their bathtub. She still has nightmares where she didn’t wake up in the middle of the night having to pee, didn’t find him and yell for their parents before he bled out. Some nights she woke in a cold sweat, terrified that the ambulance hadn't arrived in time, but she would never tell Connor or their parents that. Instead, she quietly tiptoed across the hall and poked her head in his room, making sure he was just asleep and still breathing.

Things were bad again for a long time after he got home from the hospital. Zoe was angry at Connor for what he had done, but she was absolutely furious at herself for not trying to help him. But, Connor was upset too, and so was Larry and even Cynthia, though she wouldn’t admit it. The whole house was thick with tension for months, with fights breaking out sporadically.

And then she met Alana, and things were a little less bad. When Alana wasn't busy with swim team, or one of the dozens of clubs she ran, Zoe spent most of her time at the Beck’s home, cuddled up to Alana while they worked on homework. They were good for each other － Alana made Zoe forget how messed up her family was, and Zoe helped Alana to remember to live in the moment and not be so trapped in her own head all the time. Despite the fact that they were so very, very different, they worked.

When Connor met Evan, things got better too. He was still volatile, prone to going off at the smallest things, but he was also happier. For the first time in years, Connor smiled and laughed. It was strange at first, but Zoe was glad that someone could make her brother feel good again.

The only problem was Connor’s mark. It was confusing, to say the least. She had always thought Evan was a nice person, and they got along whenever they talked. Zoe had even thought that maybe they could be considered friends, but...Connor’s mark was  _‘I don’t like Zoe,'_ which meant that the first thing Evan had chosen to say to Connor was that he hated the other boy's sister. So there was always a little voice in the back of Zoe's mind that convinced her that Evan actually really did hate her. It definitely drove a wedge in their friendship; Zoe kept her guard up around Evan, never quite smiling wide enough or revealing anything even remotely personal for fear that he would make fun of her behind her back.

Evan didn’t seem like the type of person to make fun of anyone, but the proof was in Connor’s mark. He didn’t like her.

Things were strained between them following Evan's confession to Connor, despite Zoe helping with it. She wanted them to be happy, but she couldn't bring herself to hang out with them for more than a few minutes at a time. What was the point? Neither one of them wanted her around. That really stung, considering Zoe had gone out of her way to give Evan a ride to school when both Jared and her brother were upset with him. Not to mention the fact that she had helped him through a panic attack, and had almost single-handedly set up his confession to Connor. Looking back, Zoe wondered if Evan had been laughing at her the whole time. She had a hard time imagining it, but the little voice wouldn't leave it alone.

Zoe had been trying for weeks to work up the courage to ask either Connor or Evan about it, with Alana's encouragement. She knew it wasn't right to let it sit and get worse, but she was scared of the truth.

Finally, though, it was Connor who came to Zoe’s door, barging in after their parents had gone to sleep one night. Zoe froze, her guitar still in her hand, while Connor strode forward and pulled out her desk chair, plopping down in it backward.

“Why do you hate my boyfriend?” He asked, raising an eyebrow. Frowning, Zoe placed her guitar back on its stand gently.

“I don’t hate your boyfriend,” She replied, facing him again. Running a hand through her wavy brown hair, she crossed her legs and avoided Connor’s eyes.

“Then why do you avoid him so much? You know he has anxiety. He’s convinced that you think he’s weird and that you hate him, which only makes him feel worse because for some stupid reason, he thinks my family should like him,” Connor rolled his eyes, scowling. Their dad barely liked _Connor_ some days; he wasn't exactly jumping to embrace Evan.

Zoe glanced finally, a frown on her face.

“Um...what? _He’s_ the one who hates _me!”_ Connor looked confused at that.

“No, he doesn’t. Why the fuck would you think that?”

“Because of your mark,” Zoe replied quietly, picking at some of the chipping blue nail polish on her fingers.

It was silent for a few seconds before Connor burst out laughing, leaning forward and resting his head on the back of the chair. Zoe jumped at the noise, still not completely used to Connor being happy enough to laugh at something.

“Fuck Zo, he said that because I thought he was in love with you,” Zoe blinked in shock. Wait, what? Zoe had already found her soulmate years ago; why would Evan have feelings for her when she was taken? Or, why would Connor think Evan had feelings for her?

“Look, it’s a long story that shouldn’t come from me. If Evan wants to talk about it, then he can tell you. But, uh, no. He doesn’t hate you. So maybe you guys should talk and clear the air or whatever,” Connor says, sitting back up and tucking some of his hair behind his ear.

Zoe nodded, deciding she would call him in the morning and make plans to meet for coffee. Whatever misunderstanding that existed between them needed to get sorted out because Zoe really did want to have Evan as a friend. She wanted to be supportive of him and Connor.

“Yeah,” She nodded again, “We’ll figure it out.”

For a minute, it was quiet again, both siblings lost in thought. Zoe continued to pick at her nail polish, while Connor stared deeply at her carpeted floor. Just as he was about to get up and leave, satisfied with the conversation, Zoe glanced back up at him.

“He’s a good guy. I’m glad you found each other,” Connor stared at her, unsure of what to make of that statement.

“Um, yeah. Yeah, he is. And Alana’s pretty cool too,” He finally replied, making Zoe grin.

“She’s actually the best. I definitely have the best soulmate,” Connor rolled his eyes, finally smiling for real. He shook his head, his hair falling in his eyes a bit.

“You wish. Evan’s definitely the best,” Zoe laughs throwing one of her extra pillows at him. Connor only smirked, throwing it back with a bit more force than necessary. It hit Zoe’s face with a thud, making both siblings laugh harder.

It wasn’t long before both siblings were chucking anything soft they could get their hands on at the other. Zoe began launching stuffed animals, plucking them off her bed and tossing them at Connor’s face as quickly as possible. Catching them, Connor would just throw them back until they had a nice pile between them, both of them giggling harder than they had in years.

Finally, Zoe fell back against her bed, collapsing in tears of joy for a change. Connor joined her, flopping down on the foot of the bed, his wild hair surrounding him.

“Oh god, when did we become mushy, annoying people who literally fight over who’s significant other is better?” Zoe asked when she could finally breathe again. Shrugging, Connor grinned up at Zoe's glow in the dark star-covered ceiling.

“Remember when we put those up?” He asked after a beat, never taking his eyes off of the light, neon green stickers. Nodding, Zoe rolled over to lay next to him.

“We blew our allowances on them."

"I let you have them because you kept crying about how it was your idea, so you should get more of them," He snorted, earning a small shove from Zoe.

"Ah, but you still snuck one into your room, if I remember correctly." She hadn't been in his room in so long; she wasn't sure if it was still in the corner, right over his bed. Connor nodded, humming quietly.

"You were so proud when we finally finished sticking them up,” Zoe finally said, remembering little nine-year-old Connor’s triumphant grin as he stood on her bed in order to reach the ceiling.

“Mom was pissed,” Connor chuckled, _"Those don’t go with the decor!_ ” He mimicked Cynthia, his voice becoming higher in pitch.

_“You should have asked before you just started gluing things to your ceiling, Zoe.”_

“Your mom impression is getting scary good,” Connor said, earning another light shove from Zoe. They laid there in silence for another few minutes, looking up at the faintly-glowing stars. Eventually, Connor sat up and rolled off the bed.

“Uh, I should go. Just, um, talk to Evan, okay? He gets really upset when people hate him,” Connor rubbed the back of his neck, staring at the carpet again. Zoe sat up and nodded.

“I will. I’ll call tomorrow,” She promised. Connor nodded, turning to go back to his own room across the hall. 

“Wait!”

His hand froze on the doorknob of Zoe’s room. 

“Do you want to get ice cream sometime?” Zoe asked nervously once Connor had turned around to face her. Tonight had only reminded her of the fun she and Connor used to have. Things still weren’t perfect or even great, but maybe they could be. If they both tried to reach out a bit more, maybe they could finally find some common ground.

Connor stared at her with a blank face, his eyes were the only thing betraying his emotionless mask. They were hopeful too, though cautious. He couldn’t tell if she was serious or not, she realized. Zoe’s heart sank.

“You can bring Evan if you want. Or it can just be us.”

Slowly, a small smile crept onto his face.

“Uh, yeah. That...that sounds fun. Uh, it's been awhile.”

"Yeah...yeah it has. I've missed － I've missed the mint chocolate chip. From A La Mode," She could tell from the look on his face that Connor knew she had almost admitted to missing him.

"I've missed the ice cream, too," Connor's smile grew slightly.

“Tomorrow? Just us?” She asked, returning his grin.

Connor nodded in confirmation.

“Tomorrow.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! Thank you so much for reading this!
> 
> This is a series of one-shots based on my other story, a multi chapter soulmates au fic called 'You Better Watch Yourself.' I highly suggest you read that first because, well, a lot of this probably won't make that much sense if you don't. It won't be updated as often as YBWY, but I'm going to try to be fairly consistent. I have a lot of ideas, but if you have a prompt/moment you think would fit in here and would like to see, feel free to message me on Tumblr (@lost-in-the-in-between) and if it works, I'll try to include it. 
> 
> Once again, THANK YOU to Vivi (@do-you-ever-really-crash on Tumblr) and @osote2011 for literally everything. I couldn't do this without Viv's editing and encouragement and @osote2011's daily hcs and just general awesomeness. Thank you both so much!


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